Can a Foreign National Copyright in USA? · Ray Edwards Inner Circle

Can a Foreign National Copyright in USA?

1. A foreign national can absolutely register a U.S. copyright.

The U.S. Copyright Office allows registration by anyone whose work is protected under the Berne Convention (that’s most of the world). You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or resident.All you need is:

A completed application form (can be filed online)
A deposit copy of the work (digital upload is fine for most works)
The filing fee

So, a writer in Ghana, London, or Lagos can register their book directly at copyright.gov. The registration is just as valid and enforceable as if they lived in New York.

2. Having a U.S. person file it “for you.”

Yes, you can have a U.S. representative (an attorney, publisher, or agent) handle the filing on your behalf.But note — that person isn’t the copyright owner unless you’ve transferred ownership in writing. They’re simply acting as a correspondent or authorized agent for registration purposes.The ownership stays with you, the author or rightful claimant.

3. Why it matters

If you ever want to bring a lawsuit for copyright infringement in U.S. federal court, a U.S. registration (or a pending application) is required — even for foreign nationals. So registration strengthens your hand worldwide.

So yes, you can file directly from anywhere — or appoint someone local to do it.

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